Show less, randomise more: a Cyberpunk 2077 designer on how to stop open worlds feeling exhausting
In the first post for my series on "saving" open world design, I complained that many of today's open worlds feel like checklists of formulaic tasks and rewards, their geography a vaporous staging ground for itemisable, cycling content-gathering opportunities, which flies in the face of the sense of freedom and wonder they're supposed to inspire. My interviewees, Elder Scrolls veterans Matt Firor and Nate Purkeypile, argued that this reflects the expense and scale of today's open world productions, which constrains experimental design both at a practical level and in terms of overall direction.14 Jul 2023After more than 2 years of work, Cyberpunk 2077 finally reaches a 'very positive' user rating on SteamPC Gamer ︎14 Jul 2023After more than two years of work, Cyberpunk 2077 finally reaches a 'very positive' user rating on SteamPC Gamer ︎11 Jul 2023Cyberpunk 2077 mod lets you pay off cops and hire them to smoke your enemiesPC Gamer ︎07 Jul 2023Cyberpunk 2077 subreddit gives Reddit the finger by designating itself NSFW and posting dozens of nude VsPC Gamer ︎06 Jul 2023Phantom Liberty TourSteam ︎29 Jun 2023It's hard to trust CD Projekt when it's still pretending Cyberpunk 2077's launch wasn't a disasterPC Gamer ︎29 Jun 2023Cyberpunk 2077 community fix boosts fps by up to 40% on AMD Ryzen CPUsPCGamesN ︎28 Jun 2023Cyberpunk 2077 wasn’t as bad as it seemed at launch, but it was “cool” to hate, CDPR saysRPS ︎28 Jun 2023"It was cool not to like it" CD Projekt Red VP of PR believes Cyberpunk 2077 was unfairly dunked on at launchVG247 ︎27 Jun 2023Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty videos introduce Phantom Liberty's DogtownRPS ︎27 Jun 2023CD Projekt Red insists that Cyberpunk 2077's launch wasn't that bad, but 'it became a cool thing not to like it'PC Gamer ︎27 Jun 2023Cyberpunk 2077 was “better than it was received,” CDPR dev saysPCGamesN ︎23 Jun 2023Hotfix availableSteam ︎21 Jun 2023Cyberpunk 2077’s massive credits roll gets even bigger with the addition of more than 1,600 voice actorsPC Gamer ︎21 Jun 2023Cyberpunk 2077 update finally fixes stuttering bug on AMD CPUsPCGamesN ︎20 Jun 2023Patch 1.63 — list of changesSteam ︎18 Jun 2023I'm hoping against hope that Cyberpunk 2077's expansion overhaul will finally fix the game's lingering mechanics malaisePC Gamer ︎15 Jun 2023Star Citizen is creeping up on $600M in crowdfunding, outstripping many AAA titles’ budgetsMassivelyOp ︎14 Jun 2023It sounds like CD Projekt is rolling right into the Cyberpunk 2077 sequel when Phantom Liberty is finishedPC Gamer ︎14 Jun 2023Cyberpunk 2077's system requirements are going up ahead of the Phantom Liberty launch, hard drive support is being droppedPC Gamer ︎13 Jun 2023You can see through walls in Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom LibertyPCGamesN ︎13 Jun 2023Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty adds cyberware that lets you air-dash, see through walls, and 'change your appearance to lose the heat'PC Gamer ︎13 Jun 2023Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty adds a new ending for the base game, tooRPS ︎12 Jun 2023Developer breakdown of the official trailerSteam ︎12 Jun 2023Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty was made with Idris Elba in mindPCGamesN ︎12 Jun 2023Snag free Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty goodies courtesy of CDPRPCGamesN ︎11 Jun 2023Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty's system requirements have been announced and affect the base gameRPS ︎11 Jun 2023The Ukrainian Language is Coming to Cyberpunk 2077Steam ︎11 Jun 2023Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty arrives on September 26th!Steam ︎11 Jun 2023Keanu Reeves is back for this Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty trailerPCGamesN ︎11 Jun 2023Idris Elba is my best friend in Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty, and we're gonna save the presidentPC Gamer ︎11 Jun 2023Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty expansion launches September 26thRPS ︎31 May 2023Ex Witcher and Cyberpunk devs making an apocalypse game with a “twist”PCGamesN ︎30 May 2023No, CDPR is not being bought by SonyPCGamesN ︎23 May 2023Cyberpunk 2077 update will fix DLSS 3 stutter with AMD Ryzen 7000 CPUsPCGamesN ︎